• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
• /
• v.61 no.1
• /
• pp.131-144
• /
• 2019

The purpose of study was to determine the hygrophyte index of each plant(HIP) considering the moisture environment condition (MEC) of the native plants on the downstream slope of the fill dam and evaluate its applicability which to develop a method to search for leaks and saturated zones of the fill dam for status evaluation of precision safety diagnosis. The HIP was weighted average and consisted of 19 ranks. The weighted average was calculated according to the following three procedures: First, the linear assumption was made according to the actual habitat environmental conditions, the second one was weighted to 10% of the optimal habitat condition, and finally the average value of the distribution range values. The Hygrophyte index of vegetation at each plot (HIV) was obtained from the Sinheung reservoir (Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do) using the results of vegetation survey of the Sinheung reservoir with precision safety diagnosis and suggested the use of the hygrophyte index of the cultivated vegetation. The average HIP range of plant species that emerged in 50 survey sites on the downstream slope of the Sinheung reservoir is 2.99 to 3.56. The coefficient of variation showed a large difference depending on the appearance of the leakage indicator plant(LIP) species. The range of HIV is 2.80 to 4.26, the mean value is 3.37, standard deviation is 0.37 and the coefficient of variation is 9.7%. As a result, the value of the coefficient of variation showed a large difference depending on the appearance of the plant species.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.3105-3108
• /
• 2013

Background: This study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III to study the relationship between blood lead concentration and all cause, all cancer and lung cancer mortality in adults. Patients and Methods: Public use National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) data were used. NHANES III uses stratified, multistage probabilistic methods to sample nationally representative samples. Household adult, laboratory and mortality data were merged. Sample persons who were available to be examined in aMobile Examination Center (MEC) were included in this study. Specialized survey analysis software was used. Results: A total of 3,482 sample participants with complete information for all variables were included in this analysis. For all cause death, the odds ratios (S.E.) for statistically significant variables were body mass index, 1.03 (1.01-1.06); 1.01 (1.01-1.01); blood lead concentration, 1.05 (1.01-1.08); poverty income ratio, 0.823 (0.76-0.89); and drinking hard liquor, 1.01 (1.00-1.02). For all cancer mortality, the odds ratios (S.E.) of the statistically signigicant variables were: age, 1.01 (1.01-1.01); blood lead concentration, 1.07 (1.04-1.12), black race, using non-Hispanic white as reference, 1.69 (1.12-2.56); and smoking, 1.02 (1.01-1.04). For lung cancer mortality, the odds ratios (S.E.) of the statistically significant variables were: age, 1.01(1.01-1.01); blood lead concentration, 1.09 (1.05-1.13); Mexican Americans, using non-Hispanic white as refrence, 0.33 (0.129-0.850); other races, 1.80 (0.53-6.18); and smoking, 1.03 (1.02-1.05). Conclusion: Blood lead concentration correlated with all cause, all cancer, and lung cancer mortality in adults.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.12
• /
• pp.1764-1768
• /
• 2010

In this study, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance was examined among 74 Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strains recently isolated from clinical cases of canine pyoderma and otitis externa at the veterinary teaching hospital at Konkuk University, Korea. Bacterial resistance to the nine commonly used antibiotics was evaluated by a standard disk diffusion technique based on the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The results demonstrated that most S. pseudintermedius isolates were resistant to penicillin (95.9%) or tetracycline (91.9%), but highly susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (90.5%). Among the 74 isolates, 13 mecA-positive and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) strains were identified, displaying a high level of resistance (84.6-100%) to each of the individual antibiotics evaluated, with the exception of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (46.2% resistance). Notably, all of the MRSP isolates exhibited simultaneous resistance to four or more different antibiotics, indicating that they are multiple drug resistant (MDR) strains. Taken together, these results imply that more careful selection or prescription of antibiotics for canine pyoderma and otitis externa should be required for reducing the emergence and/or spread of MDR strains, especially MDR-MRSP isolates, in veterinary pet clinics in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.44-56
• /
• 2021

The carbonized length and area of plywood by the various spreading concentration of water glass and the type of additives were measured in accordance with the 45° MecKel's burner method of the fire protection performance standard of the Korean National Fire Agency. As a result of treating water glass with a concentration of 20 to 50 % on plywood, the flame retardancy tended to increase in proportion to the concentration of water glass. However, the optimum concentration of water glass was determined to be 30 % due to the efflorescence and sticky on the surface of plywood treated with high-concentration water glass of more than 30 %. As a result of the experiment by adding different proportions of additives to the water glass with concentration of 30 %, the standard of flame performance standard was satisfied under the conditions with the addition of 15% potassium hydroxide and 1-10% aluminum hydroxide, respectively. On the other hand, there were no significant difference in the flame retardancy by adding magnesium sulfate. These results about the flame retardancy of plywood by water glass and additives were expected to be basic data for improving flame-retardant treated wood.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.148-160
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreak at a newborn nursery and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: During the outbreak, from August to September 2017, MRSA isolates collected from neonates and medical staff underwent genotyping and screened for virulence factors. Antibiotic susceptibilities were tested. Results: During the study period, 41 neonates were admitted at the nursery (n=27) and NICU (n=14). Of these, 7 had MRSA infections (skin infection [n=6] and sepsis [n=1]) and 4 were colonized with MRSA. Associated medical staff (n=32) were screened; three were nasal MRSA carriers. Staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) type II, sequence type (ST) 89, spa type t375 was found to be the skin infection outbreak causing strain, with multi-drug resistance including low-level mupirocin resistance. SCCmec type IVa, ST 72, and a novel spa type designated t17879, was the cause of MRSA sepsis. Many different types of MRSA were colonized on the neonates; however, SCCmec type IVa, ST 72, spa type t664 was colonized in both neonates and a NICU nurse. All MRSA isolates from colonized infants were positive for the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) toxin gene. Conclusions: The strain causing an outbreak of skin infections had multi-drug resistance. Also, MRSA colonized in the neonates were found to carry the PVL toxin gene. Because different strains are present during an outbreak, molecular epidemiologic studies are important to identify the outbreak strain and colonized strains which aid in effective control and prevention of future MRSA outbreaks.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.203-208
• /
• 2018

The objective of this study was to investigate the pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance of foodborne pathogens isolated from farmstead cheeses. Twenty-seven isolates, including 18 Bacillus cereus, two Escherichia coli, and seven Staphylococcus aureus, were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect virulence genes and toxin genes, and the antibiotic resistances of the isolates were determined. All E. coli isolates were determined by PCR to be non-pathogenic. Among the 18 B. cereus isolates, 17 isolates (94.4%) were diarrheal type, as indicated by the presence of nheA, entFM, hbIC, cytK and bceT genes, and one isolate (5.6%) was emetic type, based on the presence of the CER gene. Among the seven S. aureus isolates, three (42.9%) had the mecA gene, which is related to methicillin-resistance. Most B. cereus isolates (94.7%) showed antibiotic resistance to oxacillin and penicillin G, and some strains also showed resistance to ampicillin (26.3%), erythromycin (5.3%), tetracycline (10.5%), and vancomycin (5.3%). These results indicate that microbial food safety measures for farmstead cheese must be implemented in Korea because antibiotic resistant foodborne pathogens, with resistance even to vancomycin, harboring virulence genes were found to be present in the final products of farmstead cheese.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.202-206
• /
• 2013

High-grade mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs) have difficulty in cure and 5-year survival rate is quiet low. Therefore, we need new therapeutic agents and molecular targets. Betulinic acid (BA) is one of the materials which is easily found in the world and shows tumor-suppress effects in various tumor types. In addition, many kinds of normal tissues have a resistance to BA treatment. In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative activity of BA and its molecular targets in MC-3 human MEC cells using western blot analysis and DAPI staining. BA inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis in MC-3 cells. It affected Specificity protein 1 (Sp1) and its downstream molecule, survivin whereas it did not affect myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1). Therefore, we suggest that BA can be a potential anti-cancer drug candidate regulating Sp 1 and survivin to exert apoptotic cell death.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.7
• /
• pp.1130-1142
• /
• 2023

Objective: Cow urine possesses several bioactive properties but the responsible components behind these bioactivities are still far from identified. In our study, we tried to identify the possible components behind the antimicrobial activity of cow urine by exploring the peptidome and metabolome. Methods: We extracted peptides from the urine of Sahiwal cows belonging to three different physiological states viz heifer, lactation, and pregnant, each group consisting of 10 different animals. The peptides were extracted using the solid phase extraction technique followed by further extraction using ethyl acetate. The antimicrobial activity of the aqueous extract was evaluated against different pathogenic strains like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus agalactiae. The safety of urinary aqueous extract was evaluated by hemolysis and cytotoxicity assay on the BuMEC cell line. The urinary peptides were further fractionated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to identify the fraction(s) containing the antimicrobial activity. The HPLC fractions and ethyl acetate extract were analyzed using nLC-MS/MS for the identification of the peptides and metabolites. Results: A total of three fractions were identified with antimicrobial activity, and nLC-MS/MS analysis of fractions resulted in the identification of 511 sequences. While 46 compounds were identified in the metabolite profiling of organic extract. The urinary aqueous extract showed significant activity against E. coli as compared to S. aureus and S. agalactiae and was relatively safe against mammalian cells. Conclusion: The antimicrobial activity of cow urine is a consequence of the feeding habit. The metabolites of plant origin with several bioactivities are eliminated through urine and are responsible for their antimicrobial nature. Secondly, the plethora of peptides generated from the activity of endogenous proteases on protein shed from different parts of tissues also find their way to urine. Some of these sequences possess antimicrobial activity due to their amino acid composition.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.27-33
• /
• 2024

At the present study, it was aimed to explore the states of antimicrobial resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from 1,360 chickens, pigs and cattle carcass (400 chickens, 480 pigs and 480 cattle) in Daegu province from January 2022 to December 2022. Among 1,360 samples, 81 of S. aureus were isolated cattle (1.4%), pigs (7.7%) and chickens (9.2%). In antimicrobial susceptibility test, all of the isolates were demonstrated susceptibility to rifampin. But the isolates were showed resistance other antibiotics in order of tetracycline (62.9%), ciprofloxacin (62.9%), tobramycin (58.0%), gentamicin (51.8%), amikacin (40.7%), penicillin (39.5%), clindamycin (35.8%), enrofloxacin (33.3%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (30.8%), oxacillin (30.8%), minocycline (29.6%), erythromycin (25.9%), quinupristin/dalfopristin (20.9%), chloramphenicol (12.3%), cefoxitin (9.8%). Among the 81 S. aureus isolates, 25 (30.8%) methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were observed. Seven (28.0%) of 25 MRSA harbored mecA gene. About 96% of MRSA were multidrug resistance to at least 3 more drugs. A continuous monitoring and surveillance program to prevent antimicrobial resistance in livestock products is demanded.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.149-155
• /
• 1984

The effect of $ZrO_2$ dispersed phase on the mechanical properties in $Al_2O_3$-$ZrO_2$system has been studied. There are both metastable tetragonal phase and stable monoclinic phase of $ZrO_2$particles diespersed in Al2O3 matrix at room temperature. Metastable tetragonal $ZrO_2$ changes to the stable monoclinic structure within the stress field of the crack. And microcracks are formed by the expansion of $ZrO_2$during the tetragonal-monoclinic transformation on cooling. Therefore stress-induced phase transformation and inclusion-induced microcracking contribute to the mec-hanical properties of $Al_2O_3$-$ZrO_2$system. Sintered composites containing 10m/o $ZrO_2$ yield KiC values of 6.5MN/$m^{3/2}$ much greater than that of pure $Al_2O_3$ This increase results from microcrack extension and stress-induced phase transformation absor-bing energy by crack propagation. Flexural strength of composites is decreased considerably in comparison with pure $Al_2O_3$ This decrease results from microcrack as a crack former and higher porosity than pure $Al_2O_3$.